Francisco Martinez, the president of FEDECAMARAS, pointed out to Union Radio this morning that the economic emergency decree has done nothing but “increase scarcity [and] increase inflation”, and provided as evidence the fact that lines at supermarkets for increasingly scarce goods grow larger and larger each week.

Speaking on the outlook for the country’s economy in 2017, Martinez was realistic, saying that critical flaws in the country’s economy that should have been corrected in 2014 continue to exist today, and the national government continues to show no signs of seriously attempting to address the issues. Specifically, Martinez spoke on the distortions caused by the haphazard price controls that affect basic necessities, and the complex and often indecipherable currency exchange system.

CNE Ignores Own Rules, Announces Verification Schedule

The Consejo Nacional Electoral (CNE) announced its schedule for the verification of nearly 2 million signatures collected by the opposition in late April in favour of recalling Maduro from office.

We have to work with what they gave us. If they gave us that number, we have to work with that many signatures. In terms of the process, it means that we have to work with all those signatures.

Hernandez said that while the signature collecting process is over, the CNE did give the opposition 30 days to collect the signatures, a period that ends on May 26. As such, the CNE will not begin to verify the signatures until that day, meaning that the earliest possible day that the CNE can finish verifying all the signatures is June 2.

The timing of the recall referendum is extremely important. If the referendum takes place before January 10, 2017, a presidential election will be triggered. If the referendum takes place after January 10, 2017, then the vice-president of Venezuela becomes president, effectively ensuring PSUV control over the country until at least 2019.

I believe that the regulation does not set out an extensive verification process lasting 30 days [to set up] digitization, transcription, and quality controls to set up the database. This does not correspond to the spirit of the regulation.

Yesterday, desperate shoppers in search for scarce basic necessities looted a wholesale marked in Maracay, Aragua state. The event was captured on video, which you can see below:

The video below appears to have been taken outside of the establishment:

Allup: Voters Will Kick Maduro Out This Year

National Assembly President Henry Ramos Allup spoke to reporters during an opposition march in Caracas yesterday, and stressed his belief in the fact that the recall referendum against Maduro would take place this year, and that Maduro would lose.

Allup spoke on the nature of the political struggle against Maduro and the PSUV, saying:

It’s not a struggle against politicians, it’s a struggle for the country. As long as these people are in power, things will get worse.

Allup also called on the head of the Consejo Nacional Electoral, Tibisay Lucena, to “stop making up timelines” and asked her to clearly state what the next step(s) for the referendum are.

Speaking on the overwhelming police and military response to yesterday’s peaceful march in Caracas, Allup said:

They put female police officers there [at the CNE headquarters] to see if we would attack them (…) I saw threw of them crying. I don’t know if it was due to shame or pain.